Hollywood's Not America
by xOxbabii.girl.flying.solo.xOx
Summary: The gang moves to Hollywood for college. Everything's fie until Sharpay and Gabriella get offered modeling positions. They accept and they start to change in a not so good kind of way. And the boys don't like it--not one bit.


GABRIELLA'S POV

I finish packing the last box and sit on top of it. I hear the door open and Troy and Chad come in. "Wow, I've never seen it so..." Troy struggles to find the right words.

"Empty," I fill in the rest. "I have. Just once, whenever I first moved here. There's so many memories here." I say, looking at Troy and towards the balcony, remembering how he climbed up it, just to get me to do the callbacks for the winter musical with him.

"Have the walls always been purple?" Chad asks, looking around the room with a weird look on his face. Troy and I laugh.

"Yes, Chad. They have," Troy reminds him.

"Are you ready to go?" My mom, Maria, calls up the stairs. "Your van's here"

"We're coming, Ms. Montez," Troy responds, not looking away from me. Finally, I get up and he looks away, not that I minded anyway. We stack boxes and carry them down to the front porch. My mom goes and grabs my two duffel bags of clothes.

The moving workers pick up the boxes and bags and carry them off to the truck. Troy and Chad's things are already there. I was the third stop. Next is Sharpay and Ryan, then Taylor, then Zeke.

I hear my mother sigh. "I have dreaded this day since you were fourteen"

I smile," Mami, it's not like we'll never see each other again. I'll visit whenever I can"Now she smiles, but it's fake. Like it was just a cover up to hide the truth from ever being told. The songs Ready, Set, Don't Go comes to mind._This is where you don't say what you want so bad to sayThis is where I want to, but I won't get in the way of her and her dreams and spreadin' her wings_

Then, her smile fades and tears replace it. "Oh, mami, don't cry. You'll make me cry," I say, tears brimming my very own eyes.

"Sorry, mija." She shakes it off. "Things just won't be the same without you around. Just don't forget to remember me"

Oh, thanks, mom. Now that just makes me so much happier. Tears start coming, but I just wipe them away. I hug my mom, who kisses the top of my head.

"I'll call you when I get there." I promise, glancing over at Troy, who is holding my hand firmly.

**SHARPAY'S POV: **

Ryan helps me pack, since I have so many things. I hear the doorbell ring and I look out the window. Lucille's(Troy's mom) SUV is parked there with the moving van behind it.I run down the stairs and into the main hallway, where Gabby, Troy, and chad are standing chatting with my parents. Gabby sees me first and runs over, engulfing me in a huge hug.

I hear Ryan come down behind me. Troy and Chad walk over to him and give him a high-five, earning them a roll of my eyes.

My mom goes out to tip the movers and offer them some lemonade. I can tell she's avoiding this. After all, it was the end of an era, wasn't it?

Gabby and me go up to my room to finish packing. After about fifteen minutes, the boys come in.

"Gosh, Shar, how much stuff can you have?!" Chad exclaims "Well, she has two hundred and seventy-two outfits and five hundred and forty-eight makeup products"

"Add to that about four hundred shoes. Well, four hundred and twelve to be exact." I say knowingly.

Gabby giggles and Troy laughs. Chad acts as if he may faint. "It's true," my dad says from the doorway.

"Okaaay, time to go," Ryan says, anxiously. Why does he want to leave so badly? I sure am gonna miss this place.

Everyone starts to leave, but I stay behind for a moment. I take a deep, calming breath and take a good last look around. I then follow everyone else down to the main entrance.

I kiss my dad on the cheek and tell him good-bye and hug my mother until she cries. I don't cry. I promised myself I wouldn't. No matter how much I want to.

Suddenly, I'm anxious to go. I watch the movers carrying boxes and realize how tough this must be for my mom and dad. To say good-bye to your children of eighteen years. But, now, I'm ready to go. I'm moving on.

_I'm at the startin' line Of the rest of my life As ready as I've ever been Got the hunger and the stars In my eyes, the prize is mine to win _


End file.
